2002 Prius 12V Accessory, Center Panel, and Tape Deck Questions

Hey everyone, I joined up on here a little over a year ago when I got my 2002 Prius, but I haven't posted anything in a long time. The car's been running fine, but recently the tape deck decided to eat my tape adapter that I used for music and so now I've decided to take on a small side project to run a dedicated USB accessory port into the 12v line for my phone and a portable bluetooth speaker. I may eventually install a bluetooth-to-fm-modulated kit to make a hardwired bluetooth connection for streaming & phone calls, but one thing at a time.

I'm going to mount the charger down in the pocket where the CD player would have gone if I had one. AutoZone and Walmart both had dedicated USB chargers that could be wired in with the standard +/- wires and flush-mounted to a surface, so I picked up one that has 2 USB ports and an extra 12v accessory port. A few questions:

1. I should just be able to tap into the same wires going to the existing 12v/cig-ligher adapter, correct? If so, then it should cut power to that port when everything's off like the existing adapter, right? Besides basic electrical safety precautions, is there anything particular I need to consider?

2. I'm able to get behind the area below the center panel to reach the cig lighter and "CD player" compartment. I've pulled the tabs out on the bottom panel and pulled away above the CD player pocket. Eventually I'd like to get the main "T-shaped" center panel off and replace the tape deck with another unit from eBay or a junkyard in case I trade/sell the car one day. Does anyone have or can point me to general instructions for removing the center panel? I haven't bought the shop manuals yet for the car.

3. Alternatively, if I could just get the tape adapter out, I really wouldn't care about the deck working again, and I doubt whoever ends up with the car if I ever part with it will care that much either. Anyone else ever have a tape or tape adapter get completely stuck in the tape deck, and have tips for getting it out? I left the tape adapter in there in the heat by accident and I think it's completely shot now. Eject, play, and any other controls do nothing now. I've tried prying it up with a knife and pulling it away with needle-nose pliers but no joy.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

Yeah, I've been able to get to the cig lighter portion just fine. I feel reasonably confident about getting the tap into the existing lighter to work. As for getting behind the T-shaped panel, yeah, I actually produced a few hairline cracks already trying to get to it, hence the questions about trying to get to it the proper way. I'm going to leave it alone for now.

I went ahead and bought a bluetooth-to-fm-modulated kit from Best Buy called the iSimple Tranzit Blu HF. (TranzIt BLU HF) $145 got me the kit + installation, which I won't be able to have them do until Monday. I'm a little wary of having them do it, both from a standpoint of getting behind that center panel as well as wiring in the component to the 12v and the rear antenna connector on the radio. That said, everything's refundable so if after talking with the install techs I don't feel confident they can do it without screwing up the car or providing assurances for fixing any possible damage then I'll back out.

 

Chap, thanks for the center panel info. I've seen your older posts on the DICE iPod integration kit where you mention getting behind the stereo by way of removing the glove compartment. This kit I'm having installed primarily just needs to be wired into the 12v system and connected between the FM antenna and existing radio. There's a control button and microphone that run from it, but those wires will just be hidden behind pillars, etc. Can the FM "antenna in" on the radio be reached from behind the glove box as well? Thanks.

 

So, I have an update on getting this Bluetooth component installed and having to remove the center panel. Despite the fact that I told the Best Buy tech that it was possible to get to the FM "ANT IN" on the back of the radio and the fact that I showed him where I had already made 2 small cracks trying to remove the panel myself, he attempted to remove it and it began to crack into pieces. It was very brittle. This was 2 days ago.

The good news is, Best Buy agreed to replace the panel anyway at no additional charge. They ordered a new panel from the local dealership and we'll wait until it comes in before installing the component so that we can let the old one that's holding together by faith and friction fall apart as he removes it. I'm hoping it's here today as he was out yesterday. Hopefully this one can also be easily removed at a later date so that I can switch out the cassette player with an eBay unit.

 

Well, it wasn't my outright intention to get them to replace it, but I did decide to pay for their installation so I'd have some assurances. After all, I'd already cracked it myself. When I saw how badly it was cracked, I knew I'd need a new one so I asked him if they would and I specifically prefaced my request with, "I know I showed you where it was already cracked, but that's obviously a lot worse than it was, and it's just waiting to fall apart now". So in my conscience whatever gray area I felt was there because of my foreknowledge of the potential frangibility was put aside by my disclosure of the previous damage and the fact that I was paying him.

He didn't really argue or act upset but he said he'd need to talk to his manager since it wasn't really a situation where he was just being careless. He said he had no way of knowing it was going to be that brittle aside from some notes from techs in other stores over the years mentioning it. He doesn't really seem like a newbie tech though.